Cutting tables are used in conjunction with a cutting blade for making linear cuts in planar objects such as paper, fabric, roofing shingles, floor coverings, and the like. Typically, a cutting table has a planar upper surface and at least one elongate linear cutting edge against which a cutting blade is progressively moveable for advancing a cut across an object on the table.
The cutting edge for the table may extend along one side of the table body. Such tables are typically employed in a bypass cutter which has a curved guillotine blade having an inner end that is pivotally attached to the table and a handle at the outer end. By grasping the handle, the user can move the curved blade causing it to cut progressively along the length of the cutting edge, such that any object positioned on the table and extending across the edge will be cut by the blade.
A cutting table may also have a cutting edge that extends across a central portion of the upper surface of the table. Tables having centrally located cutting edges are generally referred to as slitters and employ rotary cutters. The typical rotary cutter is mounted on a slide bar that extends across the table parallel to the cutting edge. The rotary cutter is rotatably mounted on a holder and the holder is slideable along the slide bar. The blade is positioned to contact the cutting edge as the holder is progressively advanced along the slide bar.
Such cutting tables are employed in schools and businesses for cutting large quantities of material. In schools, the material is typically paper, but in the industrial sector many other materials are cut using cutting tables. The manufacturers of clothing and other objects made of fabric, for example, have cutting tables that are in constant use.
The usage of a cutting blade in conjunction with a cutting table gradually dulls the cutting blade. Where the blade and cutting table are in constant use, the gradual dulling of the blade results in a corresponding reduction in the efficiency of the cutting process. As a result, it is necessary to frequently sharpen or replace the cutting blade used in conjunction with the cutting table. Typically, the blade is only sharpened or replaced after it has become noticeably dull, and therefore the efficiency of the blade and table combination undergoes a repeating cycle wherein they operate efficiently together while the blade is sharp, but deteriorate over time as the dulling blade again causes inefficiencies. As a result of this repeating cycle, the quality of the output from a given blade and table combination is cyclical with some of the output being of poor quality. Also the blade and table combination must periodically be taken out of service while the blade is being sharpened or replaced.
It would be desirable to provide, therefore, a improved combination cutting blade and table that would include a sharpening element that would continuously sharpen the blade as it is used in conjunction with the table. Such a combination would result in a higher quality output and reduce or eliminate the need to periodically remove the combination of blade and table from service for sharpening.